It has been revealed that historic sites across Scotland recorded their most successful summer season on record. Historic Environment Scotland’s 70 sites across the country collectively saw a 20% rise in visitor numbers from April to September this year, making 2017 the busiest year on record.
HES noted that it saw a particular increase in the number of visitors welcomed by sites which feature in the hit US show ‘Outlander’, recently branded the new ‘Braveheart’ of Scottish tourism by Visit Scotland. Compared to last year, Blackness Castle saw a 44% increase in visitor numbers, while Doune Castle noted a 42% increase in footfall.
Meanwhile, the staples of historical tourism in Scotland also continued to improve their performance. Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, and Urquhart Castle all enjoyed their best summer season to date, with Edinburgh Castle alone attracting almost 1.5 million tourists.
In total, 3.8 million visitors visited HES sites across Scotland. Indeed, the momentum generated during the spring months carried into the summer, with August attracting 870,000 visitors to historic sites, making it the busiest individual month on record.
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Experience Scotland 